Isla Anderson thought her life couldn’t get any worse. Between juggling two jobs and caring for her alcoholic father, she's stuck in a cycle of despair. But when Dante Moretti, the most dangerous mafia boss in the city, shows up at her doorstep to collect a debt from her father, her life takes a darker turn. Instead of payment, Dante demands Isla as collateral. Bound by an impossible bargain, Isla enters Dante's world—a world where trust is shattered, enemies lurk in every shadow, and passion is as dangerous as betrayal. As Isla escapes the only life she has known, she must decide whether Dante is her savior or the architect of her downfall. Will she risk everything to escape him, or will he chase her back into his arms?
View MoreIsla I couldn't breathe. The walls of Dante's mansion were closing in, the luxury suffocating me more than I ever thought possible. The marble floors, the gilded paintings—they weren’t signs of wealth anymore. They were prison bars. Every day felt like I was losing more of myself, trapped beneath Dante’s watchful eye. But tonight was different. Tonight, I was going to escape.Dante was away on business—something dark and dangerous, no doubt, but I didn’t care. The moment he left, I knew it was my only chance. My heart pounded as I waited for the house to fall silent, listening to the faint footsteps of the guards echo through the halls. I counted them. Three outside the east wing. One near the entrance. Two at the back. I had memorized their patterns for days, biding my time.The air was thick with tension as I crept through the hallways, careful not to make a sound. Every breath felt like a risk, every step like a betrayal. But I couldn’t stay here any longer. Dante’s control over m
IslaEach passing day felt like I was walking through a haze, the world around me dull and surreal. I was in Dante's mansion, a gilded cage that smelled of leather and danger, and every moment served as a reminder of my captivity. I should have been terrified, yet there was an undeniable thrill that lurked just beneath the surface—an exhilarating danger that both terrified and excited me.Dante’s presence weighed heavily on me. His possessiveness was a double-edged sword; it made me feel safe, yet it suffocated me. I craved freedom, yet every time he looked at me with that smoldering intensity, my resolve began to crumble. I was trapped in a storm of conflicting emotions, and the tension between us was palpable.One evening, I found myself staring out the tall windows of my room, the city lights twinkling like distant stars. I could see people going about their lives, unaware of the chaos lurking in the shadows. As the night deepened, I felt a surge of rebellion coursing through me. I
IslaThe next night, I stood in front of the mirror in my room, my reflection staring back at me, a mixture of anxiety and determination swirling in my gut. I wore a sleek black dress that hugged my curves in all the right places, its fabric smooth against my skin. Dante had insisted I dress for the occasion, and though I hated to admit it, I looked good. But looking good felt like dressing up for a funeral—my own.The heaviness of what lay ahead pressed down on me. I was about to step into a world I had only heard about in whispers, one filled with danger and deception. Dante was waiting for me, his dark shadow looming large, and I could almost feel his eyes on me, assessing, judging.“Are you ready?” he called from the other side of the door, his voice low and commanding.I took a deep breath and opened the door, forcing myself to walk into his gaze. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.He looked me up and down, a flicker of approval in his eyes before
IslaThe first thing that struck me when I stepped inside Dante’s mansion was the overwhelming sense of opulence. It was a world I had never imagined—a realm of polished marble floors, soaring ceilings adorned with glittering chandeliers, and walls lined with priceless art that felt like they were watching me, judging my presence. But behind all that glamour lay an unsettling reality: this place was a luxurious prison.“Your room is upstairs,” Dante said, his voice smooth and unyielding. He gestured toward a grand staircase that curved like a serpent, leading to the unknown. I followed him, my heart pounding in my chest as I took in the lavish décor surrounding me. It felt surreal, almost suffocating.Every step I took felt monitored, as if the guards lurking in the shadows were keeping a close watch on me. I glanced back at them, feeling like a caged animal under their scrutiny. There were no locks on the doors, no sense of safety. The knowledge that I was a mere pawn in Dante’s game
Isla“I am not going with you.” I couldn't sleep throughout the night as my fear increased. I felt he wasn't going to show up but the fear inside me grew when I saw him standing at my doorstep. His impression is grim as death. The silence stretched between us like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment. My pulse pounded in my ears as Dante’s words rang out again, clear and sharp: “You, or your father dies.”I stood there, rooted to the spot, my body trembling under the weight of his ultimatum. My father, broken and pathetic, lay crumpled on the floor, barely able to lift his head. He didn’t plead this time—maybe he knew it wouldn’t make a difference. His life was in my hands now, and I hated him for it.Dante watched me with an unreadable expression, arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes boring into me like he could see right through my skin to the fear twisting inside. There was no warmth in those eyes, just the cold certainty of someone who always got what he wanted. And
IslaThe streets were quiet by the time I trudged home, my legs aching from the double shift at the diner. My uniform was sticky with grease and sweat, and all I could think about was collapsing on my bed and shutting out the world. The apartment building loomed ahead, worn and crumbling like everything else in my life. I could already picture what I’d find inside—my father passed out in his usual spot on the couch, an empty bottle clutched in his hand.I climbed the stairs, each step heavier than the last, and reached the door. As soon as I opened it, the unmistakable stench of cheap whiskey hit me like a punch to the gut. My chest tightened with disappointment, though I shouldn’t have been surprised. This had become routine—me cleaning up his messes while he drowned in his.“Dad?” I called out, but the only response was his ragged snoring from the living room.I stepped inside and found him, just as I’d imagined, sprawled across the couch. A few bottles had rolled onto the floor, on
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